


Play On

by JasnNCarly



Series: Michael Corinthos III/Sage Alcazar/Johnny Zacchara Series [9]
Category: General Hospital
Genre: Alcazar/Corinthos series, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-02
Updated: 2015-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-26 17:04:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23539225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JasnNCarly/pseuds/JasnNCarly
Summary: This fic follows Press Reset and uses three different (beautiful) Nicki Minaj songs from the Pink Print album.
Relationships: Sage Alcazar/Michael Corinthos III
Series: Michael Corinthos III/Sage Alcazar/Johnny Zacchara Series [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1422910





	1. Chapter 1

**Part One: Grand Piano**  
  
“Michael?”  
  
The way the call came, full of hope and happiness, nearly killed Johnny; part of him, the smarter part perhaps, told him to forget this whole thing.  
  
_Turn, don’t look back, and stay out of the way._  
  
The call came again, a door shut and heels making their way towards the center of the ballroom. The music began and the chandelier lit up, removing the mask of darkness from the bare room.  
  
He remained hidden, wanting to enjoy the faint smile on her pinked lips just a little longer, ebony eyes looking up to the intricacies of the lighting as her thick waves spilled down the valley of her spine, “Michael? Would you come out already?”  
  
_{Am I just a fool?  
Blind and stupid for loving you  
Am I just a silly girl?  
So young and naive to think you were the one who came to take claim of this heart  
Cold-hearted, shame you'll remain just afraid in the dark}_  
  
Slowly, watching his shiny shoes step onto the marble floor, Johnny straightened his suit jacket as he answered her call…not her husband-to-be.  
  
Sage watched him apprehensively, smile gone and her features somewhat pained.  
  
“I didn’t get a wedding invitation so…”  
  
“I thought Michael would be here. Not you.”  
  
“That’s obvious.” Johnny gave a small nod, stopping with two steps between them, “But…I needed to see you.”  
  
“And your needs take precedence over everything, _everyone_, else, right? You never change do you?”  
  
“I don’t know. Seems to me that it took all I had to give you the divorce you wanted.” Johnny’s proclamation caused her to look away, a mist glossing her stare, “It’s what you wanted. Not me. I knew I had to step aside for you to get…this.”  
  
The two of them took an inventory of the empty room around them; Johnny certain that Sage had every corner of the room decorated in her mind.  
  
“…so you could be a Corinthos and not a Zacchara.”  
  
“I’m an Alcazar. Always have been and always will be.”  
  
Johnny needed that, a small dose of her that said she was always the boss and in control. He had to believe that his soul mate, his friend, still resided somewhere within the petite brunette before he uttered the words, “Dance with me.”  
  
_{The people are talking, the people are saying  
That you have been playing my heart like a grand piano  
The people are talking, the people are saying  
That you have been playing my heart like a grand piano  
So play on, play on, play on  
Play on, play on, play on  
Play on, play on, play on  
Play on, play on}_  
  
“What?” Sage snickered at the request, stepping back as he extended a hand, “No.”  
  
“Sage, you haven’t talked to me in months.”  
  
“You left me, shot up in a hospital bed with divorce papers, and—”  
  
“I couldn’t make you stay in something you didn’t want—”  
  
“You told me you wouldn’t interfere with what I had going with Michael—”  
  
“I didn’t know how to make you stay just because I wanted you there.”  
  
“Michael and I are getting married tomorrow!”  
  
Johnny swallowed hard, unable to look into her eyes as he concluded their verbal battle, “I didn’t know how to make you love me the way I loved you.”  
  
The song continued, the rest of the room settled, until Johnny felt the urgency to tumble into her eyes again.  
  
Sage’s response did nothing to soothe the Grand Canyon like wounds they had created with their relationship, “You didn’t think I loved you?”  
  
“Just,” Johnny held out his hand once more, determined to make the rest of the world stop for five minutes, “Dance with me.”  
  
Upon the second request, Sage stepped forward.  
  
_{Am I being a fool?  
Wrapped up in lies and foolish truths  
What do I see in you?  
Maybe I'm addicted to all the things you do  
'Cause I keep thinking you are the one who came to take claim of this heart  
Cold-hearted, shame you'll remain just afraid in the dark}_  
  
He memorized his own movement, circling a hand around her waist to rest at the small of her back as the other clutched her soft hand against his heart – a small hope that she would commit the beat to memory. Johnny tilted his head so that temple rested against hers, her free hand sliding up his bicep and to the back of his neck.  
  
For the first time in months, Johnny was where he wanted to be with the only person in the world who understood him. People had called him an idiot for allowing her to leave, like keeping prisoners in your home was okay as long as you claimed it was love.  
  
There was a large piece of him that would never forget Michael’s appearance amidst the chaos, the way he ran to Sage and tended to her wound; his lion like glare warning Johnny to stay away as he held her small frame within his grasp. A woman had taken a bullet for him, yet there was irreparable shot that he had taken while watching them.  
  
Sage was safe now. Happy even. Johnny had no right to take that away, nor would he work to do so; yet he had to have this to let go, something he could rely on as he waited for her to come back to him.  
  
_{The people are talking, the people are saying  
That you have been playing my heart like a grand piano  
The people are talking, the people are saying  
That you have been playing my heart like a grand piano  
So play on, play on, play on  
Play on, play on, play on  
Play on, play on, play on  
Play on, play on}_  
  
“Michael’s nervous about our dance tomorrow in front of everyone.”  
  
Sage could not stay silent long, causing Johnny to smile at her need to make small talk.  
  
“I’m not sure what kind of dress he thinks I have, like he’ll trip or something, but…I tried to tell him everything would be fine.”  
  
Johnny listened to every word, indulging his senses in her scent and sound.  
  
“…you promised you would stay out of the way, John. What’s this all about?”  
  
“I also promised I’d wait.”  
  
“For what?”  
  
“For you.” She stiffened in his arms, causing him to sigh, “Sage, you are everything to me. No one is going to change that. Whenever Michael finally figures that out, you can come home…because I’ll be waiting for you.”  
  
“Johnny…I’m never coming back.”  
  
**_Song Credit: “Grand Piano” – Nicki Minaj_**


	2. Chapter 2

**Part Two: I Lied**  
  
“I know that you believe that.” Johnny was unchanged, keeping her close and locking their eyes, “Sage, he’s never going to give you everything you need.”  
  
“He already does.”  
  
“There are ways that I get you. Ways he’ll never understand.” Seeing some truth registering on her delicate features, Johnny let her hand go to tunnel his fingers into her hair, “You and I both know what it’s like to want a family and not understand what that word even means. We know that there are ways we separate this life from who we are. We know that things in our world can suffocate you, break you only if you let them. We are stronger for that. We are _different_.”  
  
“Michael knows me.”  
  
“He knows what he wants. He’s been sheltered most of his life and was a good guy you had some fun with.”  
  
“And you? You’re what? The truth?”  
  
“I’m your other half.”  
  
“If that were true, I’d wanna stay here. But I don’t. Johnny, I—want Michael.”  
  
“Well, if it helps, I made sure he would be facing some hard truths right now too.”  
  
_{Even though I said I didn’t love you I lied I lied  
Even though I said I didn’t need you I lied I lied  
To keep you from breaking my heart, ooh  
To keep you from breaking my heart, ooh  
Even though I said don’t touch me I lied, I lied  
I can’t fall for you, can’t give my all to you  
Can’t let you think that Imma let the game stall for you  
Gotta protect me you gotta sweat me  
You said you thought you was ready and I said let’s see  
But I ain’t mean that, I need some fucking proof  
Cause what happens if I fall in love then you cut me loose  
You just a heart breaker won’t let you break mine  
Cause I’ll be smashing windows and cutting them break lines}_  
  
“Maxie, I appreciate your concern, but I’m marrying Sage tomorrow.” Michael moved past her, signaling to his brother and bachelor brood that he was fine.  
  
Maxie grabbed his bicep, forcing him to turn to her again, “Look, I know you want to believe that this could work out. I wanted to believe it too, because I want you to be happy.”  
  
“Do you? You said you understood. You said you wanted to be friends, but we’re standing here having an argument during my bachelor party.”  
  
“You’re—right, and I know I should be here. But I keep thinking about…all the times we talked. Everything you said you wanted, and I know Sage will not be okay giving that to you.”  
  
“Because you know her so well.”  
  
“Because I know you.” Maxie’s blue eyes struck a frayed cord in him, one of lingering doubt about his future with Sage, “Do you really think you will stop looking over your shoulder? Whether it’s business…or Johnny, do you think you will ever relax as Sage’s husband?”  
  
_{Even though I said fuck you, I lied, I lied  
I thought eventually you would let me go  
That was my insecurities and my ego  
Missed my jump shot missed my free throw  
Miss the way we kiss, miss the D yo  
Man it was good while it lasted  
That shit wasn’t real it was magic  
If it was a record it would have been classic}_  
  
“Get out of my way!”  
  
Her rage was to be expected as she pushed Johnny away from her once more; he remained a barricade between her and the door, “Just listen to me for a second.”  
  
“No! You just told me that one of Michael’s ex-flings is at his bachelor party right now!” Sage gathered her hair, twisting it in a frustrated bun, “I’m still in my wedding rehearsal dress for crying out loud!”  
  
“Sage, there is a reason for all of this.”  
  
“Does she think I won’t mess her up in my finest? Because I will do so happily!” Sage removed her heels, one by one, and took a stance as though she were about to pitch, “Don’t get in my way.”  
  
“You are ignoring the facts here!”  
  
“What facts?!”  
  
“I’m standing here. Fighting for you. Maxie is willing to take Michael. Don’t do this tomorrow!”  
  
Sage paused, some of the winds robbed from her sails, “Johnny, I love him.”  
  
“And you love me.”  
  
She wiped one tear away and licked the others from her lips, “That doesn’t matter.”  
  
“It matters, Sage! It’s everything right now!”  
  
“We got married because we were supposed to! Because of my uncle and your father…”  
  
“Maybe, but it’s not the reason we shared a bed.”  
  
_{This is what I gotta do to keep me from falling  
Stalling the truth, who knew what you’d  
Do If I let you in  
My mama ain't raised no fool  
I am not your usual typical type  
Who would protect me if I never hide?  
Falling so fast I am afraid of you}_  
  
Sage shut her eyes, blowing out large breath, “Michael and I were done. I didn’t think—”  
  
“You’re going to stand there and tell me that the only reason you were with me is because Michael wouldn’t have you?” Johnny’s words clearly stung her as she planted her fists on her hips, staring down and shaking her head, “You wanted me. I wanted you. And, while Michael forgot you, I took care of you. I brought you into my business, into my home, and we were happy…weren’t you?”  
  
“I won’t lie to you. For a moment, we were so…so happy. But I never stopped loving Michael and that’s the real problem between us.”  
  
“Then I’m the problem between you and him.”  
  
Sage let her head fall back, tears flowing to and down her neck, “I turned my back on him, and you turned your back on me. That’s the difference.”  
  
“Signing the divorce papers…”  
  
“It’s not about the divorce papers, John!” Sage threw both shoes at him as she spoke, “You don’t remember our little conversation in the car, do you? Where you hated me! Right before I took a bullet for you! When you thought I was a whore and Michael would use me just as long as he could!”  
  
Johnny dodged both, taking in her details and remembering just a little of that conversation.  
  
Now he knew the truth, the bigger betrayal to Sage was his words and not the divorce. She may have fought him, she may have claimed confusion when signing the papers, if he didn’t make her feel two feet tall just before she saved his life.  
  
_{So I lied, I lied, I lied  
To keep you from breaking my heart, ooh  
To keep you from breaking my heart, ooh  
I lied, ooh baby, oooh  
Cause what if I let myself go with you}_  
  
Johnny closed his arms around her even as she continued to resist, throwing her fist and wiggling her whole body to escape his hold, “I’m sorry.”  
  
“Get off of me!” She screamed so loud she screeched, continuing to struggle against his snake like coil, “Off!”  
  
“I didn’t know what to do.” Johnny tried to use his words to calm her down, succeeding little by very little, “No one’s ever cut me that deep, and you did. You knew every part of me, and you were supposed to stay. You were supposed to want forever with me, and you didn’t. You saw the worst of me, and you ran.”  
  
“You didn’t give me a choice.” Sage sobbed against his shirt, her fists balled against him, “You did everything you could to push me back to Michael. You didn’t want me.”  
  
“I wanted you, Sage, more than anything in this world.” Johnny cupped her face in his hands, relieved she had not thrown another fist, and spoke in a shaky whisper, “I still do.”  
  
Sage opened her mouth to respond, even as his lips inched towards her, only to be interrupted by the doors of the ballroom bursting open; Michael had caught them mid-embrace.  
  
**_Song Credit: “I Lied” – Nicki Minaj_**


	3. Chapter 3

**Part Three: The Crying Game**  
  
_“Michael, this isn’t what it looks like.”_  
  
Sage’s plea rang through his ears as he remained in the empty ballroom, face to face with Johnny. Michael had used the last of his patience to get Sage to leave them to talk for a moment, but he had no idea what to use on the fury clawing at his veins, itching his knuckles.  
  
Johnny eyes had followed Sage out of the room, lingered in that direction long after she left, “She was going to find you.”  
  
“I don’t know how to make this any simpler for you.” Michael began to think aloud, crossing his arms and squeezing his biceps to avoid throwing a bomb Johnny’s way, “What do you need to hear or see for you to leave her alone? Haven’t you done enough to attempt destroying her life?”  
  
Johnny had no response, not after the dose Sage had just given him – a reminder that she felt he had given up. Instead, he gave a small nod, “Guess I wasn’t ready to call it quits yet.”  
  
“I haven’t done or said half the things I’ve wanted to you. _Only_ because there’s some part of her which still regards you as family. But pulling something like this? The night before our wedding?” Michael stepped forward, invading Johnny’s space without moving another muscle, “What is stopping me now? Because you are not going to torment my wife, especially given the multiple times she’s saved your life.”  
  
“Look, I’m sure you’re testosterone is on high, and you’re metaphorically taking a piss all around her. But you need to understand that this is never going to work,” Johnny’s lips formed a sly, pleased grin, “you and Sage will make a huge mistake tomorrow if you walk down that aisle….and I think you _both_ know it.”  
  
_{Here we go again, it's the game we love  
Sheets all over the floor and they laced with drugs  
You ain't play your cards right, you had the Ace of Clubs  
Hit you with the Ace of Spades and your face is shrugged  
Blood drippin' out your arm on my Asian rugs  
We was just planning a wedding, Caucasian doves  
You was just tellin' your mans, that you hate the clubs  
Now we in the crying game, heart laced with slugs}_  
  
“Michael, will you—”  
  
He managed to avoid her grab of his wrist and arm, exiting the hotel and heading towards his car illegally parked out front, “Not now.”  
  
“No, please,” Sage’s bare feet crushed the gravel as she rushed to block the driver’s door, “just stop for a minute, please.”  
  
Michael avoided her eyes, shaking his head, “I can’t do this right now.”  
  
“I thought it was you.” Sage hesitated before resting her hands on his chest, on the verge of tears, “Baby, I thought it _you_.”  
  
He couldn’t take hearing or seeing her in pain, but his adrenaline was too high to listen to his heart at the moment; Michael could not find the courage to look at her or release the frustration of his conversation with Johnny.  
  
“I got a note sent to my room. It just said ‘meet me in the ballroom'. I—I thought we were going to rehearse our wedding dance one more time.” She moved her hands from his chest, wiping her face before trying to catch her breath – reason out of this, “You’ve—you’ve been so nervous, and I wanted…I was so happy thinking you were going to break tradition. To think you really couldn’t stay away from me for the night.”  
  
Her breath of a laugh caused him to look up, spotting only love and obvious concern.  
  
“Please, tell me you believe me.” Sage searched in his eyes, choking on her last command, “Tell me that we’re still getting married tomorrow.”  
  
_{Are you alone? Do you need someone?  
Is it too late to talk? Did I wait too long?  
Thousand words don't change a thing  
Is it only three? Three words that you're missing?  
Where did you go? Couldn't see  
I was too busy  
Could've just said no  
Where would you go? I think I know}_  
  
Sage had no energy to lift her chin, even as the makeup artist insisted they had to do something about her puffy eyes; part of her wondered if she was getting all gussied up to get stood up.  
  
_“I can’t—I need to think. I just—I need to think.”_  
  
That was where they left it last night. Michael had not said yes, had not said no, just left her standing there without a clue as to what to plan for.  
  
It wasn’t her fault; Johnny had made things look shady, and Michael refused to listen.  
  
Yet again, everyone around her was making decisions for her. Everyone made assumptions about her ‘intentions’ and desires; everyone assumed the worst of her.  
  
The warmth of the curling iron leaving her tresses made her look up into the mirror; she could say she appeared beautiful and bad ass as she sat there. It almost felt normal and real to see herself on the verge of fabulousness.  
  
However, the sight of her red eyes and the heaviness on her chest caused her jaw to tighten and her nostrils to flare.  
  
Waving off her beauty bandits, she snatched up her phone and stomped out onto the terrace; staring out at the sunlit city, Sage allowed the anger to completely inflate her before her fingers slid across the phone screen.  
  
_I’ll make it easy on you. I will send someone to the church…I’ll make the call._  
  
_{Welcome to the crying game where you lose your soul  
Where it ain't no easy pass, you got to use the toll  
Ain't no cruise control, you 'bout to lose control  
Ain't no smilin' faces here, we slammin' doors and dishes  
Sayin' we don't miss each other, but it's all fictitious  
Sayin' that we had enough, but enough of what?  
Another slap to the face, another uppercut  
I'm just abusive by nature, not cause I hate ya  
Not cause I wanna get someone to imitate ya  
I know it's hard, I know I intimidate ya  
But is you stayin' or goin'?  
I couldn't breathe and you ain't even know it  
How come you never show it?  
All this love you speak of  
All I want is to love and be loved  
(To love and be loved)}_  
  
Sage’s knees and heart nearly gave out after pressing send, sure she could not really get it done.  
  
No matter what she said, she **wanted** Michael. Despite all of their faults as a couple, she wanted and prayed (a renewed habit) for a real future with him. Part of her was almost happy planning to be a stereotype, staying home to have his babies and do whatever she could to make him happy.  
  
She would’ve done anything to make him stay, but she knew the consequence of a marriage that was a business deal. Done merely to make a statement.  
  
Her phone _pinged_ with a new message, causing her hands to shake as she moved to read it.  
  
_Is that really what you want?_  
  
Sage wanted to toss the phone at the nearest solid surface, but she typed in a fury, _Of course not! But I’m not going to beg someone to marry me, to make themselves unhappy to prove a point._  
  
Pacing, she tightened the satin robe around her petite frame and tried to mentally plan a snarky, perfected comeback to whatever nonchalant response he gave her.  
  
_Ping!_ Another message and Sage stared for a moment, sure she wasn’t prepared.  
  
_{Who-o-o-o-o-o, who-o-o-o-o-o  
We're back to playing  
We're back to playing  
Who-o-o-o-o-o, who-o-o-o-o-o  
We're back to playing  
The crying game  
I could've given everything  
Don't wanna let the tears begin  
We're back to playing  
The crying game}_  
  
Sage unlocked the screen to find out she was right, nothing could’ve prepared her.  
  
_I’d get down on my knees, in front of you, right now if I could. Because marrying you is the only thing that could make me happy. You need to know that I would fight anyone who tried to stop us today…and I’d beg you to stay if I really thought you weren’t coming to the church._  
  
Collapsed to her knees, tears and giggles erupted from her as she read the message at least ten times before anyone came to disturb her.  
  
“Ms. Alcazar, are you okay?”  
  
“I’m fine. I’m fine.” She waved off their concern, finding her way to her feet.  
  
As they hurried her back inside, she wished there was a friend in the room. Sage longed for a best friend to gush with until she looked down at her phone, reminded that the only friend – the only individual she would ever need – would be waiting at the end of the aisle.  
  
**_Song Credit: “The Crying Game” – Nicki Minaj  
_**

** _The End_ **


End file.
